


Bonfire of the Dolls

by HappyFunBallXD



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, M/M, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-15
Updated: 2013-05-15
Packaged: 2017-12-11 23:47:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/804640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HappyFunBallXD/pseuds/HappyFunBallXD
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam raises the dead. Dean fixes them when they break. Castiel just wants to keep Gabriel and Balthazar from getting them all killed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bonfire of the Dolls

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Костер из Кукол](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4225878) by [tea_in_tea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tea_in_tea/pseuds/tea_in_tea)



> For Dean/Cas Happy Endings on LJ. Based heavily on the Steampunk Opera: [The Dolls of New Albion](http://mochalab.bandcamp.com/album/the-dolls-of-new-albion-a-steampunk-opera), which is fantastic, and I highly recommend. Beta'd by the wonderful [shellygurumi](http://archiveofourown.org/users/shellygurumi), an' plot help by the lovely [Bluebird](http://casindeanspants.tumblr.com/).

Dean didn't want a Doll.

He didn't have anything against them. He'd known quite a few very nice Dolls in his life. Jess was wonderful, and Sam assured him that she was exactly the same person she'd been before she died, courtesy of a traffic accident. And Dean couldn't get mad at Sam for it either, since the first thing he'd done when Jess was brought back was ask her if it was what she wanted. He wouldn't have let it go on otherwise; Dean had faith in his little brother's ability to do the right thing.

But just because he didn't mind the Dolls being around didn't mean he wanted one. Not that there weren't a few people he missed, like his parents. It just wasn't natural. The Dolls were little more than zombies, souls and minds in wooden and metal bodies rather than rotting flesh.

He knew there were some people that brought back their loved ones against their own wishes. Dolls who wanted nothing more than to go back to whatever afterlife they had been given, only to be tethered to the mortal world because of someone else's selfishness. As hard as Sam worked to avoid that from happening, there was no stopping all of them; even when asked, the Doll would be frightened into consenting by the person who wanted them back. Dean had seen it a hundred times. He'd even helped a few of them, although it could never be proven in court.

He'd also seen Dolls that had been abandoned, either by the death of their remaining loved ones, or just because the people didn't want them anymore. Dolls couldn't die by age alone. They had to be destroyed. And a Doll on their own was a miserable thing. While it was socially acceptable to have a Doll in this age, a Doll without a human to act on their behalf was nothing better than a stray dog in the eyes of the public. Barely even second- class citizens.

Dean hated the way things were, hated the way the poor things were treated by a lot of people, so why would he want to put someone he loved through that?

He knew most people didn't think the way he did. Sam didn't. He didn't see anything wrong with it, so long as the Doll's consent was taken into consideration. And Dean couldn't really begrudge him that; Sam and Jess were just as happy as they'd been before Jess died.

Their father was another story. After Mary Winchester had died in a neighborhood fire when Dean was four and Sam not even a year old, he spent the majority of Dean and Sam's life, a good portion of his own, trying to find the formula to bring their mother back. And he did. It was thanks to John Winchester that the reanimation formula was in use today. John didn't live long enough to see Mary again, however. He found the formula, locked in trunk and hidden away in the attic that once belonged to the genius girl who came up with it. The night he tried to bring Mary back, he died. The parts used to return his wife to him proved to be his own demise.

Sam used the formula, and brought them back. He’d changed some things, fixed a few pieces, so the process wasn’t so costly for the person doing it. It didn’t work out as planned, even after the spell’s success, and Sam stopped working with the formula. When Jess died, however, he couldn't be convinced to leave the dead alone. He had asked what Jess wanted, so Dean let them be after that. It was Jess’ choice to make, and he respected it.

Sam insisted he was using the formula for good. Bringing back people taken far too soon, children who hadn't gotten a chance to live, or parents that hadn't wanted to leave their children without care.

It did a lot of good, Dean could admit that, but it just wasn't right to him. And while his little brother spent his time bringing others back, Dean worked on keeping them running. He'd worked on airships, carriages and automobiles before, he was well-suited to working with mechanics.

And if a Doll came into his workshop that wanted a way out, Dean would respect their wishes and end it. He could easily tell the customer that there just wasn't any way to fix them. Sam knew about it. He couldn't argue with his brother's intentions.

Dean had spent the afternoon fixing the leg of a rather annoying Doll, who wanted to be alive, but didn't seem too keen on having to sit still while Dean worked. Dean had momentarily considered breaking his other leg just to get the Doll to stop kicking him while he fixed him, but he was sure the Doll would've just started doing something equally as annoying. In the end, he'd returned the Doll to his girlfriend, a very intimidating beauty that, according to the paperwork, went by the name of Kali. Finished with the day's patients, he closed up shop, eager to get home and relax. Dropping his work apron to the desk and removing his gloves, he straightened his clothes as best he could. Despite the apron, a few drops of oil had stained his red button- up shirt. Hopefully it could be washed. He fixed up his suspenders, running a hand through his short hair as he left the workshop.

He wasn't expecting the pair of legs sprawled out along the sidewalk in front of the building. Dean tripped, barely managing to catch his balance before landing face- first on the concrete. He whirled around, planning to give whoever had tripped him a piece of his mind, but when he caught sight of the culprit his anger died immediately.

A Doll was sitting on the ground, propped up against the stone wall of his workshop. He was dressed plainly enough, a white shirt and tan vest with a loosely done blue tie. The shirt's sleeves were rolled up, exposing all of his wrist and elbow joints. The Doll's head was tilted up at the sky, blue eyes lit with the same light all Dolls showed.

The Doll didn't seem to register that someone had tripped over his legs, only tilting his head down in a slow roll to look at Dean once the mechanic had turned to stare at him.

Dean waited for the Doll to talk. When nothing came, he leaned down a bit, more face- to- face with him. "Are you okay?"

After a moment of thoughtful silence, the Doll replied, voice gruff. "I'm unsure as to your definition of 'okay'."

Dean arched a brow, looking around. "Are you alone?" This wasn't the first Doll he'd found abandoned at his shop, dropped off by someone tired of dealing with the melancholy of a soul who'd seen the other side and come back to a miserable half- life. And as much as Dean wanted to get home, he'd do his best to help the Doll, if that's what he wanted.

"I am."

"Is someone coming back for you?" Dean prompted.

The Doll's head tilted to the side, staring at Dean quizzically. "I don't understand why this is important."

"Just trying to figure out why you're here. Most people don't drop their Dolls off here for no reason."

"No one brought me here."

A lone Doll? Dean blinked. "So you came by yourself? Why?"

"I need help."

Dean snorted. "Usually why most people wind up here, yeah. What's wrong exactly?"

The Doll lifted his leg. Everything above the knee worked with the motion, while everything below merely slumped, his foot twisting at an angle that would be agonizing for a human.

"Oh." Dean knelt beside the Doll, giving a questioning glance as he reached for the other's pants leg. After receiving a nod, the mechanic pulled the fabric up, inspecting the broken knee joint with a frown. It was broken in a similar fashion to the other Doll he'd just finished fixing. Dean sighed, pushing himself back up to his feet. "Okay, let's get that taken care of. Shouldn't take too long if you don't kick me."

Another head tilt. "Why would I kick you?"

Dean chuckled, leaning to slide an arm around the Doll's waist, supporting his weight to get him up. "I asked myself the same question."

Guiding the Doll inside, he set him on the worktable, rolling up the pants leg again. The Doll stayed still, watching curiously. It didn't take long for Dean to replace the joint, working quietly and unaware that he was being watched until he was finished and looked up, meeting the Doll's eyes.

He gave a small smile. "All done."

"Thank you..." The Doll moved his leg, easing the new joint into working. He moved to slide off the table, but faltered, nearly falling before Dean caught him under the arms.

"Whoa, whoa, take it easy. That's a new joint, it's gonna take some breaking in."

"I should go." He made no move to push out of Dean's grasp, despite his statement.

Dean frowned. "I'll drop you off wherever you'd like. There's no way you'll make it home on your own like this, and I'm not leaving you out all alone at night." The risks for a lone Doll caught by some punks at night went unsaid.

The Doll looked down, as if considering his options. "My usual room is ...occupied tonight."

"So where were you gonna go?"

He shrugged. "I'd planned on waiting outside for you until morning."

Dean rolled his eyes. "I'm not risking you getting torn apart out here. Not when I just fixed you up. You can come home with me for tonight. And when your room isn’t 'occupied', I'll take you back. Okay?"

Blue eyes stared at him once again, the glow making it that much more intense. "Why would you do something like that?"

Dean shrugged. "It's my job to take care of you guys. Someone's gotta look out for you."

"I...thank you."

Nodding, Dean slipped the Doll's arm over his shoulder, the pair of them making their way out of the workshop. "No problem. So what's your name?"

"Castiel," The Doll replied.

"Castiel," Dean repeated, testing the name out. "I'm Dean."

Castiel's mouth creaked up at one corner in a sort- of smile. "Pleased to meet you, Dean."

Arm around Castiel's waist, he started to lead them toward his home. "You too, Cas."

Dean didn't want a Doll. Still, somehow he wound up taking one home with him anyway.

oOoOo

The big, standing radio was on when Dean got Castiel inside the house and set him on the sofa. Sam must've left it on, because the news was playing, and Dean couldn't usually be bothered with that crap. Things were often bleak enough as it was, without being yelled at by some faceless guy on the radio that life as they knew it was coming to an end every ten minutes.

Castiel was quiet, had been for most of the trip. Dean didn't live far from his workshop, so he didn't bother to ride there. The walk home had taken nearly twice as long with the Doll leaning against him. It had done some good for him though, since easing the new joint into working properly was safer with someone to help. Castiel was nearly walking on his own by the time they reached the house. Dean let him go, but kept an arm close by in case something happened.

Dean went to change out of his work clothes, leaving Castiel in the living room after letting him know he could change the station if the Doll wanted. He heard the hum of the radio continue as he tossed his clothes to the chair in his room, sliding into his more comfortable home clothes. When he returned, Castiel was right where he'd left him, staring at the radio with glowing eyes wide.

Leaving the Doll to listen, he went to the kitchen instead, finding a bit of leftovers to eat. Dolls couldn't eat, of course, so Dean didn't offer any to his guest. He brought his meal back to the living room, sitting on the other side of the couch.

Dean ate in silence, studying the Doll as Castiel listened with interest to the program. The announcer was going on about today's incident in the park. Dean barely managed to contain an eye roll. There was always an incident in the park, and if not in the park, then somewhere else where people gathered. Everyone knew about the troubles in town, even Dean, who refused to listen to the news. At this point, it was impossible not to know, especially when your little brother was the one responsible for making most of the Dolls causing the so- called trouble.

He couldn't blame them, not really. All they wanted was to be treated as equals instead of glorified pets. They had been human once too, it was only fair. But humans feared anything that challenged their status quo, and the few rebellious Dolls were quickly shot down, run out of whatever place they'd staged their speeches and never seen again if caught. It was unfair, Dean knew, but there was no way to stop it. All he could do was help out where he was able. Sam did the same, if only by refusing to bring back anyone he thought wouldn't be taken care of. It didn't always work, but it saved a few poor souls from being yanked out of the afterlife, and it hadn't gotten them run out of town yet.

Castiel leaned forward, nearly on the edge of his seat while listening. Dean frowned. Was Castiel one of those rebel Dolls? Had his leg gotten broken in an escape from the law? Most of the rebels were outcasts, discarded Dolls who fought against their lower place in the world, it was completely possible that Castiel was one of them.

By the time Dean had geared himself up to actually ask the strange new Doll about his possible political ties, the broadcast was over, and Castiel eased himself off the sofa. He moved to the radio, careful on his recently fixed leg, and shut the power off, leaving the room in silence.

Dean pushed his food around the bowl with his fork, not looking up as Castiel sat back down. "Crazy stuff, huh?"

Castiel hummed in reply, noncommittal. He folded his hands in his lap.

"So, it's not any of my business, I guess...but you looked pretty concerned there a minute ago." As much as a Doll could look concerned. Their expressions were hard to figure out sometimes, mostly due to their construction, but Dean had worked with them long enough to be able to pick up a thing or two.

"Did I?" Castiel seemed taken back a bit. "I suppose I am."

"Any particular reason?" Dean went for casual. "Those Dolls get run out of the park every day, I'm sure they're all used to it by now, both them and the cops."

Castiel nodded absently. "I know for a fact that they are. I was only wondering if there were any arrests today."

"Didn't seem like it."

"That's good," the Doll looked down at his hands, eyes glowing faintly in the light of the living room. "I try not to make a habit of joining in those sorts of activities. I do have family involved, though, so I'd like to know that they remain safe."

So that was it. "Makes sense. What kind of family?"

"My brothers. While they were both older than myself, it seems like it's my job to look out for them, since they have a habit of getting into trouble."

"I know the feeling. Well, sort of. I'm the older brother, but when we were growing up, I made sure Sammy was taken care of while our dad was trying to find the formula that we're using now to bring you guys back."

Castiel nodded. Everyone knew about the Winchesters, it wasn't any surprise to any Doll, seeing as though Sam was the first person they saw when they came back.

"It was very selfless of you to look out for him," Castiel replied. "I hope he gave you far less trouble than mine do to me."

"Well, mine doesn't go out and start riots, so I think that's a safe bet."

Castiel's mouth joint twitched up in what counted for a smile. It made Dean happier than he had any right to be over such a small thing.

oOoOo

The pair of them stayed up late talking. Or at least Dean did, since Dolls didn't sleep. Eventually Castiel insisted the mechanic go to bed, once he'd drifted off on the couch mid-sentence about one of his weirder Doll- fixing tales. They'd taken turns trading stories about what Dean saw in the workshop, or what Castiel's brothers had done to get them running from the law enforcement of the day. At Castiel's urging, he went up to bed, after assuring Castiel he could make himself at home for the night.

What seemed like far too short a time later, his alarm clock went off. He shut it off, grumbling sleepily as he rubbed his face. After a quick clean up, he was in his work clothes, trudging downstairs and ready to start the day.

In his sleepy daze, Dean had almost forgotten about Castiel coming home with him, so he wasn't exactly surprised to find him gone from the living room when he came down. The noises in the kitchen made him curious, however. Sam rarely cooked, and although Jess would make dinner sometimes, the brothers usually ate light for breakfast, a piece of fruit or some toast.

Castiel had his back to the doorway when Dean stumbled in, poking at something on the stove top. The Doll turned his head briefly when he heard Dean come in. "Good morning."

"Mornin'," Dean slid to the table, voice sleep rough and eyes half- lidded, despite the water he'd splashed on his face a few minutes earlier. "You're cooking?"

"Yes," the Doll replied, pointing at Dean with the spatula, as if to prove his point. "I haven't done it in awhile. I just wanted to thank you for letting me stay here last night, and you said to make myself at home, so..."

"Like I'm gonna complain about someone making me food," Dean chuckled, propping his chin up on his arms as they folded on the table top. "You didn't have to, but thanks."

"My pleasure," Castiel sounded content, busying himself with finishing the batch of pancakes he was making.

Dean was quiet, watching the other work. When Castiel was finished, he moved the pan from the stove, and brought the food to the table. He set it in front of Dean, who stared back at Castiel in surprise.

"That's a lot of pancakes." There were at least ten stacked up on the plate, and they looked and smelled wonderful.

"My apologies," Castiel replied, sitting beside him at the table. "Like I said, I haven't made food in some time."

Dean laughed, getting up to fetch a fork and a glass of milk, as well as the jar of syrup. "It's fine. I like a challenge."

Castiel seemed pleased. Dean wasted no more time, digging into his breakfast eagerly. For all that Castiel hadn't cooked in a while, the pancakes were delicious.

Dean was well into his fourth pancake and going strong, when he heard his brother's large frame come down the stairs, followed by quieter ones and a slightly wooden clunk that told him Jess was following behind. Swallowing the mouthful of food quickly, Dean looked toward the doorway.

"Don't freak out guys, I've got company."

"Did you at least make her breakfast?" Sam's voice teased from the living room.

"Quite the opposite," Castiel spoke up, just as the pair made their way into the kitchen.

Sam stopped dead in his tracks, Jess moving up on tiptoe to peer over his shoulder. He stared at Castiel for a moment, eyes wide, before he moved to give his brother an incredulous look. "You got a Doll?"

Dean frowned, hating the way his face warmed up. "Of course I didn't. You know how I feel about that. This is Castiel. He showed up at the workshop last night and didn't have anywhere to stay, so I let him crash here."

"Oh..." Sam's face softened a bit at that, taking Jess' hand and stepping into the kitchen proper.

"Cas, this is my brother Sam, and his girlfriend, Jess."

"Pleasure to meet you," Castiel nodded in greeting.

Jess smiled as much as her mouth joints would allow. "Are you planning to stick around, Castiel?"

Castiel tilted his head, as if the thought hadn't even occurred to him. "I probably shouldn't. I'm sure my brothers will wonder where I've been. When no one is there to shoot down their dangerous ideas, they'll notice I'm gone."

Dean chuckled, finishing off half of the pancake plate, shoving the rest at Sam. "Eat some breakfast for once. Cas made it, it's awesome."

Castiel seemed pleased at the compliment, watching as Dean got up from his chair. At the mechanic's urging, he followed after him, waving politely to Sam and Jess as they left the room.

"So, I guess you're ready to head out?" Dean asked quietly, gathering his shoes and coat once they were in the living room. "I've gotta head to work, but I can walk you to wherever you need to go first."

"You don't have to, Dean. I'm perfectly fine on my own, and I wouldn't want to be a burden, or interrupt your work..."

"It's no trouble, Cas," Dean assured him, setting a hand on the Doll's shoulders to guide him towards the front door. "I don't really wanna go in quite yet anyway. This is one of the benefits of making up your own schedule."

Castiel frowned, considering this. "If you're sure..."

"Positive," Dean leaned past him to open the door, pulling it shut again once they were outside. "Now where are you headed?"

After giving it a moment's thought, Castiel turned his head to the side, catching Dean's eye. "The park, I suppose. It's the most logical place to find them."

"You guys have a place besides the park to stay at?" Dean asked, letting go of Castiel's shoulder, stuffing his hands into his pockets instead.

"We do," Castiel sounded a bit reluctant, as if he was worried to give away the information. Not that Dean could blame him; it's one thing to stay with someone else, it's quite another to give up your home base location to some strange human. Especially for a group of lone Dolls. Castiel not only has himself to look after, but the well being of his brothers too.

"Although, as I said last night," Castiel continued, "I didn't think it was wise to return. We share the one room, you see, and when one of my brothers has... visitors, it's very much assumed they won't want you in the room with them."

Dean arched a brow. "So you were gonna stay outside all night so one of your brothers could get laid? I didn't even think Dolls could do that sort of thing..." He'd fixed enough of them, he knew they didn't exactly have the equipment for that.

"By conventional standards, we can't," Castiel explained, looking a bit embarrassed by the conversation's path. "Of course, there are ways to work around it... we can't necessarily feel things physically, but the feelings behind it are the same. The feeling of joy when pleasing your partner is just as satisfying as--"

"Okay, way too much information there, Cas..." Dean cut in, holding a hand out to stop the Doll's speech. "I get it, thanks."

Castiel nodded, looking down at the sidewalk. Dean was sure that if he were human, he'd be blushing. He steered the conversation to a safer topic, asking Dean about Sam and Jess. Dean happily talked about his little brother and his girlfriend, and Castiel was content to listen to the mechanic speak.

They reached the park some time later, Castiel leading Dean towards the stage where the day's protest would be held. The Dolls were already there setting up with a few humans there to help. He recognized one of them as Kali, the woman from the workshop yesterday, but before he could get closer, something slammed into his shoulder, hard, knocking him back.

He caught his balance quickly, glaring up at whoever had bumped into him, only to come across a very irate looking blonde Doll, arms crossed over his dark coat and gray vest.

"So you're the one that kidnapped our Cassy!" He reached out, grabbing Castiel by the arm and yanking the other Doll behind him, glaring at Dean the whole time. "Do you have any idea how worried we were? You think you can just come in here and snatch up any Doll you please? Typical humans, thinking they can just trample all over our rights!"

"Balthazar," Castiel huffed, eyes narrowing at the other. "Dean didn't kidnap me, I went to him for help. He offered me a place to stay last night."

Balthazar arched a brow, but didn't seem convinced as he continued to glare at the human, blue eyes glowing dangerously. "It's not safe to trust humans, Cassy, it only leads to trouble."

"We trust Kali," Castiel shot back.

"She's different."

"Dean is different too."

"Look," Dean spoke up, hands raised in a disarming manner. "I just wanted to look out for Cas, okay? I wasn't about to let him stay the night outside my workshop, and I wasn't about to let him walk through town on his own in the morning rush. So pardon me for giving a crap."

"Dean..." Castiel started.

"It's fine, Cas. I've gotta get to work anyway. You know where to find me if you need me. Good luck with today's protest."

Before Castiel could say anything more, Dean turned on a heel, walking back through the park towards town. He'd done a nice thing for a nice guy, and now he was right back to his normal, everyday life. He frowned, stuffing his hands back into his coat pocket. He thought of glowing blue eyes watching his back as he left.

oOoOo

Dean spent the majority of his day throwing things around his workshop, muttering grouchily to himself. He didn't have any Dolls scheduled to come in, and the only reason he was staying open was in case someone came in with an emergency. He kept himself busy by working on a few parts, getting pieces ready for someone who would need them, and replenishing his supplies. So if he was a bit rougher with his tools, and a bit more likely to toss things down on the table in a fit of frustration, no one was around to see it.

He had every right to be angry, though, as he saw it. He'd gone out of his way to be nice to someone, someone who most people wouldn't have even given a damn about. And he'd had it thrown back in his face like he was some bigoted asshole who couldn't be trusted. So yeah, Dean was a little bit pissed off.

By the time Sam and Jess came over to invite him to lunch, Dean had given up on possibly seeing Castiel again. In the first part of the morning, he'd sort of hoped that the Doll would show up, maybe apologize for his brother's behavior, and they could spend the rest of the day hanging out. Despite his hopes, the workshop stayed empty for hours until Sam stepped in, ducking a bit to fit his taller frame in the doorway.

He didn't really feel like socializing by that point in the day, his mood growing even more sour with every hour he spent alone in the shop. Sam and Jess insisted, as they always did, and as much as he always protested, the company of his brother and brother's Doll always helped his mood.

To get to the restaurant the pair had chosen, they had to walk past the park. Dean intended to walk quickly by, not even glancing at the protesters. Interested, Sam stopped, listening to the short Doll Dean had fixed the other day-- the one who'd kicked him the whole time-- spout his speech. Today's topic seemed to be something along the lines of humans leading on poor, innocent Dolls, and leaving them to rot in trash heaps outside when they were done with them. Sam seemed concerned, his hand curling tighter around Jess' wooden one.

Dean scowled, wondering if Balthazar had told the other Doll about him bringing Castiel back this morning. If the speech was a spur of the moment rant about how poor Castiel had been saved miraculously before Dean had led the Doll off to abuse him.

His eyes darted to the side, only to catch on glowing blue ones. Castiel stared back at him from his place on the side of the impromptu stage, the dark wooden pieces that moved as his eyebrows lowered in thoughtful concern. Dean kept the stare for a few moments, before breaking his gaze, moving to usher Sam and Jess on with a hand to either of their shoulders, complaining about how hungry he was. He could feel Castiel's eyes burning into his back for the second time that day as they quickly left the park.

Lunch was uneventful, although his mood had improved by the time they walked back to the workshop. The park was devoid of protesters when they passed it again; most likely some offended human had called the law in to scatter the crowd, just like every other day. Dean knew Castiel would be okay. He could count on one hand the amount of times an arrest had actually been made from the protests, so he wasn't too concerned. Even if the little voice in the back of his head nagged at him that this could very well be one of those times.

Sam and Jess parted ways with Dean once they returned to the workshop, continuing on to the next block over, where Sam had a few more interviews lined up for the next batch of possible Doll candidates. With nothing else to do for the day, Dean decided to work on his latest project, a prototype he'd been working on for some time.

It was like skin for Dolls- a malleable rubber sort of casing that would cover the Dolls' frames and joints, protecting them from breaking so easily. Though it was translucent now, when he was finished, he planned to work it so it would be made into a variety of shades and tones, to match human skin tone, or whatever else the Doll would want. Not only would it protect them, it would give them a more human- like appearance, helping them to blend in. It was a project he had been working on for some time now, trying to perfect it before he brought it up to Sam. Not that he thought his brother wouldn't approve, but because he wanted to be able to start putting it to use before he took ownership of the idea. He didn't want to get anyone's hopes up if he couldn't deliver.

He was hard at work, testing out a few strips of plastic skin while another batch of plastic melted in the beaker to his side. Concentrating as he was, he didn't even notice the door open quietly, three sets of footsteps entering his workshop. By the time he looked up from his work to check the beaker, there were three Dolls standing in the doorway.

Dean let out a surprised noise, taking a step back and ramming his hip into the table's edge. The liquid plastic wobbled over the Bunsen burner, tipping over. Boiling plastic spilled over the table, splashing over Dean's hand before he could yank it away. He hissed out a curse, cradling his hand to his chest and whirling to glare at the intruders.

"What the fuck, guys?!"

Castiel rushed forward, circling the table to take Dean's hand, inspecting it before the mechanic could protest. He nearly dragged Dean over to the workshop's small sink, turning the cold water on and holding his hand under the spray. Dean cursed again, the water only intensifying the burn.

Dean did his best not to yank his hand away, knowing he needed to get water on the burn as soon as possible. Instead, he focused on glaring at the other two Dolls in his shop, the small brunette from the other day, and the blonde from this morning. "Something I can help you two with? Or was adding injury to insult your plan for the day?"

The shorter Doll nudged Balthazar with an elbow, pushing him forward a step. Balthazar cleared his throat, glowing eyes looking pointedly away from Dean as he spoke. "I've been told by both of my brothers that I acted rashly this morning in accusing you. And that I'm supposed to apologize for my behavior."

Beside him, Castiel sighed quietly, busying himself with Dean's arm. Dean scoffed.

"Was that supposed to count as the apology?"

Balthazar shrugged. "Best you're going to get. Take it or leave it."

"Look, Bal didn't know that you were the guy who helps us out," the shorter Doll spoke up, folding his arms against the table as he leaned on it. By now the plastic had settled into a puddle, mostly solid now that it was cooling.

Dean eased his hand out of Castiel's grip, moving away from the sink. Castiel looked ready to protest, but stopped as Dean pulled the small first aid kit out from under the counter. He opened it up, going through the contents with his uninjured hand. "Yeah, well... as much as I understand being wary of people, you should really learn to listen to Cas when he's trying to tell you something."

Dean swore he could see the ghost of a smile on Castiel's lips at that. Then the Doll busied himself with taking the kit from the mechanic, uncapping the small jar of salve inside.

"What are you doing, anyway?" the new Doll asked, poking at the solidified rubber. "Thought you fixed Dolls. What's with the science stuff?"

"I'm working on something," Dean grumbled, holding his arm steady so Castiel could work. It was easier than trying to do it himself, and the Doll seemed to know what he was doing. "How's your leg, by the way?"

"Doing good, thanks," to prove it, he gave his leg a few kicks.

Dean nodded, turning to Castiel. "How about you?"

"It's well," Castiel replied quietly as he spread a bit of salve over the burn with his thumb. Dean winced at the sting, but kept still. "I've worked most of the kinks out of it, I think. Thank you."

He nodded, turning to Balthazar. "Looks like you're next, by process of elimination."

"You wish," Balthazar shot back, but the corners of his mouth were tilted upward.

Castiel wrapped a bandage around Dean's hand when he was done applying the salve, tying the ends up neat near the heel of his hand.

"So, was that the only reason you came here?" Dean prompted, arching a brow. "Or is there something else I can help you guys with."

"Actually, I've got a favor to ask," the brunette said.

Castiel turned to his brother, face stern. "Gabriel."

Gabriel ignored him. "See, I dunno if you're big on listening to the news, but the crowd got a little more rowdy than usual today in the park."

Dean made a loose fist, carefully testing the limits of the bandage. "Isn't that what you wanted? Rabble rousing?"

"Yes and no," Gabriel tipped his head back and forth. "It's good for the cause, gets the word circulating. It makes things a little more dangerous for a while, though.”

Dean hummed, waiting for him to continue.

"So, long story short, we pissed off the cops today, and we need to make scarce. And everyone's got a safe hiding place except Cassy."

"I'm perfectly fine at home," Castiel argued, but his brother cut him short.

"We were wondering if he could stay with you, just for a day or two, until all this calms down?"

"Gabriel!" Castiel hissed, scandalized.

"It's for your own good, Cassy," Balthazar sighed, as if it pained him to admit it. "No one's going to come looking at the Winchesters' for disobedient rebel Dolls."

"If you wouldn't go around causing trouble, we wouldn't have to hide for days at a time," Castiel growled.

"The sacrifices of being a revolutionary," Gabriel shrugged, turning to Dean. "So, can you help us out, or what?"

Beside Dean, Castiel set a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to feel guilted into this, Dean. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

"It's fine, Cas," Dean offered him a smile. "You're welcome to crash at my place whenever you like."

"Great!" Gabriel clapped his hands together, looking from human to Doll. "We'll just leave him in your capable hands, and get out of here before we start bringing trouble to your door."

Castiel's mouth was shut into a thin line, watching his brothers. "Be careful, both of you. Don't do anything reckless."

"Reckless is my middle name," Gabriel laughed, giving a sloppy two- fingered salute before turning and leaving.

Balthazar frowned at Dean, pointing a finger at him sternly. "You'd better treat my brother right. If I hear of any misbehaving from you, you'll have more to worry about than a little burn on your hand."

Before Dean could reply, or before Castiel could chastise him once again, the blonde Doll followed his sibling out of the workshop. After a moment of watching the doorway where they'd been, Dean turned to Castiel.

"Well... wanna help me clean this mess up and I'll close up early today?"

Castiel nodded.

oOoOo

The house was empty when Dean brought Castiel back. Sam and Jess had returned to work right after their lunch with Dean; they wouldn't be back until later in the evening. Sam always worked late when there was a new batch of Dolls soon to arrive. There was a lot of necessary preparations to be made.

Castiel quietly returned to the sofa, where Dean had left him the previous night. He looked to the radio, which was off this time. Dean moved past him, switching it on. The news was playing, the host speaking about the small riot broken up in the park this afternoon. Castiel scowled at the voice coming from the box and Dean sighed, getting up to change out of his work clothes.

When he came back, the radio was off, and Castiel sat on the sofa, arms crossed and staring into space with a frown. Dean took his spot on the other side, arching a brow at the Doll.

"Done with the news?"

"Quite," he replied. "And I thought you wouldn't appreciate me breaking it. Not listening was the more polite option."

"Yeah, thanks for that," Dean chuckled. He leaned back against the couch cushions, sinking into them with a sigh. "Sorry about them."

Castiel shook his head. "You're not responsible for what others do, Dean. I know you. You try your best to make up for what they do, even if it's only in little gestures. It's greatly appreciated."

Dean looked away. "Sometimes I wonder if this whole thing is doing more harm than good. Sam thinks he's helping people. But look what's happening."

The Doll was quiet for a moment, thinking. Dean was about to write the conversation off as finished, when he spoke again. "There will always be people that abuse power intended for the good of others. And there will be people like you and Sam, using it to help people." His mouth turned up in the barest hint of a smile. "My eldest brother Michael had us brought back after we died. The first thing I recall when I came back was your brother, watching me carefully. He was concerned. He asked me, as soon as I was awake enough to talk, whether this was okay. If it was what I wanted. My brothers were there too, and he asked all of us. Michael was surprised, that Sam would put our wishes before his. He also understood it as well. Michael can be protective of his siblings, but he wouldn't have continued if we'd been against it, and neither would Sam. Regardless of what Michael thought, if Sam wasn't convinced we'd be cared for, he wouldn't have gone through with it."

Dean nodded. "Sam's a good kid. He knows how important it is."

"You raised your brother well, Dean, and your parents would be proud of you."

The mechanic was a little surprised at the speech, listening to Castiel speak with such conviction. As if he were positive that not only were Winchester boys worth being proud of, but Dean especially. This, from some Doll he'd only met two days ago. Sam was pretty famous, raising the dead will do that for a guy, but most people didn't even give Dean a second thought, and he usually preferred it that way.

He ran a hand through his hair, muttering an awkward reply. "Yeah, well, Sammy's smart and responsible. He knows what the right thing is and does it. I just fix a few broken parts."

"That's more important than you might think."

Dean decided to change the subject, shifting uncomfortably. "How long have you guys been around? You and your brothers..." Sam had only been bringing Dolls around for about five years, so they couldn't have been around for too long.

"Only a few years," Castiel replied. "I believe we were some of the first Dolls Sam worked with. Michael was intent on bringing us back as soon as he heard what Sam was doing. He'd been devastated, losing all his siblings in the accident. He died a few years ago, so at least he wasn’t alone. He’d made it clear before passing that he didn’t want to be brought back. "

"Accident?" Dean stared at Castiel curiously. When the Doll seemed to hesitate, he added, "It's none of my business, just tell me to fuck off if you don't wanna talk about it."

Castiel shook his head. "No, it's alright. There was a fire, and the three of us got caught up in it."

Sympathetic, Dean met Castiel's eyes. "My mom died in a fire too. I can kinda understand how your brother must've felt. It's tough."

The hint of a smile returned to the Doll's face. "Perhaps we were destined to meet. Both entwined in the tragedy of a fire. In different ways, of course, but a connection, nonetheless."

Dean chuckled softly. "Yeah, maybe so." He gnawed at his lip, thoughtful in the silence that followed. "I don't talk about it much. The fire. I never did, not even when I was a kid. Dad didn't wanna hear it, it just made him miss Mom more."

"Do you want to talk about it now?" Castiel prompted.

Dean shrugged. "Not really much to tell. I dunno if you were around when that crazy guy started all those fires in the residential area..."

Castiel nodded. "I remember them."

"That's when it happened. Some guy, Azazel or whatever his name was, decided to start some fires, and a lot of innocent people died because of it. I don't remember a lot about it. I was only four at the time. But I remember Mom waking me up in a hurry. Dad hadn't been there, I think that's one of the things that tore him up the most, that he hadn't been there to save her. Anyway, she had both me and Sammy, and there was fire everywhere. It was probably the most scared I've ever been. She couldn't get us out of the living room. And it gets kinda hazy after that. I guess they said I inhaled a lot of smoke. Luckily Mom had a blanket over Sammy's head, so he was okay. I just remember closing my eyes tight, thinking we weren't gonna get out. And then someone came in, one of the neighbors, and grabbed us. Mom yelled at the guy to get us out, and he did. By the time he dropped us off with the firemen and went back in, it was too late. Both Mom and whoever was inside didn't make it, and the whole house collapsed."

Dean let his head tip back against the sofa's cushion, turning to stare at Castiel when he was finished with his story. He didn't know what he'd been expecting, but he felt slightly relieved to get the whole story out. Even if it had happened years ago, and he had plenty of time to come to terms with it, surprisingly enough, he felt as though a slight weight had been taken off his chest.

Castiel was staring at him, glowing eyes wide in shock. He didn't say anything, didn't even really move. Dean gnawed at his lip, brows furrowing.

"You okay, man? It's kind of a depressing story, but we turned out okay, you don't--"

The rest of whatever Dean planned to say was swallowed by Castiel's mouth on his. It was too rushed and awkward to be gentle; Castiel's wooden mouth smashed into Dean's lip and he was pretty sure it would be split open when they were done. The Doll's hands came up to grip his shoulders, pulling him forward and into the empty space of the sofa between them.

Somewhere in the next second, Dean's brain caught up with things, and he pulled back so quickly, he fell back off the sofa and onto the floor. "What the fuck, Cas?!"

Castiel's eyes were even wider than before, the glow brighter. The Doll brought a hand to his mouth, nearly as surprised as Dean at his actions. "I... I apologize..."

Dean wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. Sure enough, blood dotted his knuckles. He got to his feet, heading into the kitchen. Castiel followed dutifully, looking down as Dean pressed a towel to his busted lip. He sent Castiel a glare, half out of anger and half out of confusion.

Closing the distance between them, Castiel gently took the towel from Dean's grip, moving it away from his mouth to inspect the mechanic's lip. "I am sorry, Dean. I forgot myself for a moment. Your story, it... I forgot what it was like to feel that strongly."

"So you kiss a guy?" Dean grumbled, running his tongue over the cut.

Castiel watched the motion, before lowering his eyes slightly. "It seems so. It won't happen again, I promise."

There was an awkward silence in the kitchen for a few moments, neither knowing what to say. What exactly did you say when a Doll bubbles up with the intense need to let out some emotions in the form of PDA?

Finally, Dean cleared his throat, giving a cough that ended in a chuckle. "That's probably the least expected reaction to hearing about my Mom's death..."

Castiel blinked, looking up from the floor to meet the mechanic's eyes before tilting his head. “I suppose it it a rather strange response..."

Dean let out a sharp breath, tonguing at his split lip. "Look, don't worry about it. I'm sure you're just not used to feeling so much as a Doll, right? It was kind of like a pressure release, I'm guessing. You feel okay now though, yeah? Not gonna go groping me or anything, are you?"

The Doll shook his head quickly. "Of course not."

"Then we're good. Consider it forgotten."

The glow in Castiel's eyes flickered, but returned to normal a second later. "I appreciate that, Dean."

oOoOo

The night passed quietly after that; true to his word, Dean didn't mention the incident. It didn't seem to affect the rest of their evening. Dean made himself something to eat, and Castiel listened to the radio for any further news on the protest in the park. Dean waited up with him until the news had faded into music, and music into static. Then Castiel forced him to bed.

Dean woke up to breakfast again the next morning, eggs and bacon this time, and enough to feed both himself and Sam when his brother groggily made his way downstairs. The four of them made small talk until Sam and Jess had to hurry off to work. Dean and Castiel cleaned up the breakfast dishes, careful of the bandage still on Dean's hand, and made their way to the workshop.

Castiel stayed unobtrusive as Dean took his day's patients, a few broken joints and a splintered limb. Nothing serious, and soon the pair were left alone.

After a quick lunch, Dean asked if Castiel would like to help him with the project he'd been working on the previous day, before the Dolls had come to the shop. Castiel agreed easily, and Dean went about making a new batch of the rubbery plastic.

Castiel peered over his shoulder as he worked, curious. "What are you doing?"

"It's something I've been working on," Dean explained, focusing on mixing up components and getting the flame on the burner correct. "You guys come in with broken parts all the time, ‘cause essentially, you're walking skeletons. Tougher than humans, but still pretty breakable. So if you had something to absorb some of the shock from falls and stuff, you probably wouldn't need fixing so much."

Cocking his head to the side, Castiel looked from the mechanic to the mixture in the beaker.

"This is sort of like a rubber skin," Dean continued. "And if you don't mind, I could try it out on an actual Doll. If it works, we can work on covering you guys with it, and hopefully lessening a lot of repairs."

Castiel thought it over for a moment, then nodded. "I trust you."

Dean blinked. "Yeah?"

His mouth quirked up at the corner. "I do. And it's a wonderful idea. Not a lot of people would worry about our well- being."

Lifting his shoulder in a shrug, Dean looked down at his work. "Sam brought you guys back, it only seems right to take care of you. And you don't have to do this if you don't want to, it's okay. I can test it out on a spare leg or something. I just figured we could get some real- life results this way. I mean, I don't wanna put you on the spot or anything..."

"Dean, it's alright. I'd like to help."

Dean nodded, keeping his hands busy. Once the plastic was the right temperature, he poured the mixture into the mold he'd set up. When it was set, he peeled it free, examining it. It was thick, and had enough of a give to it to cushion from impacts.

"If you'd had this on you the other day, you might not have busted my lip," Dean joked idly, tapping the table beside him in a silent request for Castiel to hop up.

Castiel paused, eyes glowing a bit brighter as they widened. He studied Dean for a moment before jumping up to sit on the table as asked. He didn't comment on the statement, and Dean mentally admonished himself for mentioning it after he said he wouldn't.

"I uh... I made a piece for the ankle, since that would get a lot of impact. It'll be good to test out first, and it's not as obvious as an arm or something."

The Doll nodded, kicking off his shoe and leaning down to roll up his pants leg. Dean went to work quickly, fitting the plastic over the other's ankle. It fit snug, just like he'd wanted. It didn't take long to adjust it, turning the Doll's leg around for a few moments to make sure everything was right. Finished, he grinned up at the Doll.

"All set. Now we just go about your daily activities, and see if it helps any."

Castiel worked his ankle back and forth a few times. He couldn't feel any difference, but that was hardly surprising. Dolls didn't feel their bodies, because they didn’t have nerve endings. Dean would be able to tell if the wear on the joint would be helped by the covering, so Castiel wasn't worried.

He slid off the table, moving to put his shoe back on. Dean worked on putting everything away, looking up at the clock on the wall.

"I guess you're staying with me for another night?" The mechanic spoke up, noticing how late it was. He started going about his closing duties, while Castiel paced the workshop, testing out the rubber casing.

"I suppose so," he replied quietly, rolling his ankle. "If they thought it safe to return, Balthazar and Gabriel would have come back by now."

"Maybe tomorrow then," Dean sorted through his tools. "We'll listen to the news when we get home, see if anything's happened."

Castiel nodded. He moved to help Dean finish closing the workshop, and they made the short walk back to Dean's house. Castiel immediately went to the living room, switching on the radio, while Dean went to change.

There was nothing new to report about rebel Dolls of any sort. The announcer spoke about some upcoming festival the next day, not mentioning anything about the park protests. Castiel was both worried and relieved.

oOoOo

The next morning, Dean went about his morning routine as usual. He vaguely remembered the news story Castiel listened to the previous night, wondering if there was any news on the Doll's brothers. He sat at the kitchen table with his coffee, dressed and ready for work, watching as Castiel fussed around over the old stove. The Doll had insisted on making breakfast once again, and Dean wasn't going to argue.

While Dean drank his coffee, Sam stumbled down the stairs, Jess following after. They were still in their sleep clothes, Sam slumping over his place at the table. Jess sat beside him, eyes glowing faintly in quiet concern.

Dean arched a brow. "Not working today?" Sam went in to work every business day, even if there were no Dolls to work with that day. The only time he skipped out were the few days he was so sick that Dean and Jess both insisted he stay home.

"You don't know what today is, do you?" his brother returned question with a question, pushing out of his chair to pour himself a cup of coffee, muttering a quiet greeting to Castiel.

"Tuesday?"

Sam sighed. "No, Dean.”

"Technically, he's right," Jess said, the barest hint of a smile on her wooden mouth.

"Well, yes, but-"

"It's the Day of the Risen," Castiel interrupted, setting a plate of eggs down in front of both brothers. "The anniversary of the day when the formula to raise the dead was discovered."

Dean's face fell, shoulders slumping. It had slipped his mind completely. "Oh."

Sam rubbed his face with a hand. "Yeah. Are you planning to show up at the festival any today? I know they stopped formally asking you after you threw a wrench at the mayor that one year, but I'm sure if you wanted to go, they'd appreciate it."

Poking at his eggs with the fork, Dean kept his gaze down. "That's not gonna happen, Sammy, and we both know it."

He nodded. "Figured I'd ask anyway. I'm speaking later this afternoon, and I'll probably be back late."

Dean smiled, even if it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Everyone wants to take the guy who brought grandma back out for drinks. My popular little brother."

"Yeah, yeah," Sam huffed with a grin, starting on his breakfast. "Cas, you're welcome to come around as well. No one will bother you, I'll make sure of it."

"Thank you, but I'd better not. I'm here because Gabriel and Balthazar felt I'd be in danger after the park protest. If I were to go out in a crowd like that, it'd make their attempts to keep me safe useless. Also I generally dislike being in a large group."

Sam shrugged. "Fair enough. You can keep Dean company."

The Doll nodded, turning to study Dean. The mechanic didn't look up, still idly toying with his breakfast.

"Just eat it, Dean, don't waste Castiel's efforts," Sam's voice was stern.

"It's alright, Sam," Castiel looked from one brother to the other, trying to calm him. "I don't mind."

Sam gave another long- suffering sigh. He finished his breakfast quickly, thanking Castiel before setting his dishes in the sink. He muttered his goodbyes and left for his room, to get ready for the festival.

Jess watched quietly, before getting up and circling the table to wrap her arms around Dean's shoulders in a hug. Dean didn't say anything, but he leaned against her briefly. She kissed the top of his head fondly when she pulled back, turning to follow Sam.

Dean managed a few bites of his breakfast, stomach suddenly sour. He knew Castiel was watching him, obviously confused, and he thought he really should explain his mood swing to the Doll. But he was useless at explaining these kinds of things. He'd been hoping Sam would have done it for him, but his brother wanted to get mad instead.

Not knowing what else to do, Dean got up from his chair. "I'm going out for a bit."

Castiel tilted his head to the side, curious, but didn't say anything. Only nodded, standing to collect the plate.

"Alone," Dean added, and the Doll stopped.

"Dean, if something's wrong, you can tell me."

The mechanic shook his head. "I just have to take care of something. I'll be back quick."

"I can go with you-"

"Just stay here, Cas!" Dean snapped, frustrated. Castiel stared at him, silent once again. Dean took that as his cue to go, not looking back at the Doll in the kitchen as he stomped out the front door.

oOoOo

Dean was gone far longer than he'd intended. The sun was high in the sky, well after lunch time, and it made Dean close his eyes against the bright light after spending hours in the dark of the bar he'd hurried to. With everyone away at the festival, it had been quiet, and no one was there to bother him, aside from the bartender, who only questioned him when his drink needed refilled.

He settled his tab, still coherent enough to make the walk home without falling on his face-- even if his balance was a little off-- and stumbled home. His mind was cloudy, pleasantly buzzed and his body was relaxed in a way it hadn't been in some time.

The house was quiet when he stepped inside, leaning heavily against the door once he'd shut it. He let his head drop back, tilted to the ceiling and closing his eyes for a moment. It cleared his mind enough to continue his slow trek into the house proper.

The couch seemed like a good goal, and he headed there. He almost made it, arms outstretched to lean on the arm of it, when he noticed it wasn't as empty as he'd thought it was.

"Hello, Dean."

Dean yelped in surprise, falling back and smacking his leg against the coffee table. "Fuck! Cas! Don't fuckin' scare me like that! Put a damn bell on're somethin'..."

The Doll turned to study him, eyes narrowed in irritation. "Where have you been?"

Dean fell back against the opposite side of the couch, sinking into the cushions with a hum. "What're you, my mom? I was out. Where's Sammy?"

"At the park. As he said he'd be."

"Right, shit. Why didn't y'go with him?"

"We went over this, Dean," Castiel deadpanned. "I don't enjoy crowds, and I shouldn't be wandering around in public."

Letting his eyes close, Dean frowned. "So what'd y'do all day?"

"What do you expect me to have done, Dean?" Castiel growled, turning on him. "You snapped at me, left with no explanation, then come back hours later, so intoxicated you can hardly keep upright! I spent all my time worrying about you!"

Dean cringed as the other yelled, eyes blinking open to stare at him before scoffing. "That was dumb. 'M not worth worryin' over..."

"That's not something you're allowed to decide," Castiel got up from the couch.

Dean closed his eyes again, figuring he'd angered Castiel enough to leave. It was only fair, even he knew he was being unbearable. He just hoped Castiel would retreat to another room and not out of the house entirely.

There was noise in the kitchen, and Dean let out a small relieved breath. So long as the Doll didn't leave the house, Dean wasn't going to stop him. The pleasantness of the alcohol was wearing off quickly, sobered by the walk home and forcing himself to concentrate on the conversation, and his head was beginning to pound. He let out a groan, sliding onto his side on the couch.

He must have fallen asleep, because a moment later, he felt something settle over him. Peeking an eye open a sliver, he made out the blurred form of Castiel setting a tray on the coffee table. Or Castiel’s legs, rather, since moving his head was too much effort at the moment. A blanket was draped over him and he curled into it, glad for the warmth.

Feeling the Doll's weight settle on the end of the sofa by his head, Dean stayed as still as possible. His headache had only worsened with time, and he would most likely have a sore back from the odd way he'd fallen asleep. All the same, he was fairly comfortable here, and he wasn't exactly ready to bite the bullet and apologize to Cas just yet.

The first touch of the Doll's fingers to his hair made him jolt in surprise. His head pounded painfully with the motion and he groaned, curling up further on the couch.

"My apologies," Castiel said softly, fingers brushing gently through Dean's hair. Wooden fingertips slid soft against his scalp, and as much as Dean wanted to push him away, to insist that this was crossing a line, it felt much too nice to protest.

Castiel continued, not speaking any more, just dragging fingers soothingly through short strands. Dean couldn't tell if he was still angry about Dean's abrupt exit this morning, but this seemed to be a truce for the time being at least. Neither spoke for some time, the silence stretched between them some halfway point between amicable and awkward. Castiel's fingers never faltered in their massage.

Dean was almost half asleep once again, the touch to his hair lulling him and making his head throb a little less. He let out a quiet sigh, he nudged Castiel's leg softly with his temple. "Sorry..."

"For what?" The Doll's voice was almost a whisper, keeping his tone low to help Dean's head.

"For runnin' off all day, for yellin' at you... take your pick," he mumbled. Even after the way Dean behaved all day, instead of yelling at him, or giving him the cold shoulder, Cas had done everything he could to make Dean feel better.

"It's alright. I don't mind."

Dean sat up slowly, a hand moving to rub his temple. Castiel leaned forward, grabbing the tray from the table to sit it on his lap. He passed Dean a cup of tea, which had cooled slightly from the time since he'd brought it into the living room.

Dean looked at the cup for a moment before looking up at the Doll. "Cas..."

"Drink it, Dean, it will help you feel better."

He took a sip obediently, settling back against the sofa. "You can tell me when 'M bein' a jerk..."

"You were being a jerk."

Dean blinked, not quite expecting the quick response despite his statement. "O-Okay..."

When he met eyes with Castiel, he could see the barest hint of a smile on the Doll's lips. "I forgive you for it, though. Drink your tea, Dean."

The mechanic nodded, taking another sip. He licked his lips, staring at the cup. "It's the festival thing."

Castiel arched a brow, the motion a bit harder with the Doll's facial joints. "I gathered as much."

"It's just... this is some big celebration for everyone...”

“It’s a rather important day, Dean,” Castiel replied helpfully. “A lot of people consider this the anniversary of the day a miracle happened. And you and your brother were the cause of it.”

“Not... not really.”

“You’re being far too negative about this. Some unfortunate things have happened because of what you and Sam have done, but far more good has come from it. And you’re doing what’s in your own power to limit the bad and encourage the good. Even the best medicine has negative side effects, Dean. Nothing works out perfectly.”

“No, I mean Sam and I weren’t the ones who got the formula to work. At least not the first time.” Dean’s fingers toyed with the handle of the teacup. Jess had picked them out, at the insistence that the Winchesters needed at least a few cups for company that weren’t chipped and hastily glued back together. “After Mom died, Dad spent the rest of his life trying to find the formula. And when he found it, and it worked, it killed him. Stuff like that, old magic, it’s not safe.”

Castiel blinked. “Sam uses it all the time, and suffers no ill- effect.”

“Sam’s a genius, and he fixed the spell. He’d been learning all kinds of magic theory from Dad while he was growing up. It only made sense some of it would stick. That’s why you guys come back in wood bodies instead of real ones. Because if he used the real spell, it’d kill him.”

“No one expects your brother to give up that much, Dean,” Castiel set a hand on his shoulder. “Just this is more than anyone who’d lost a loved one would think they’d ever get again. I know Michael was grateful for your brother’s work, even if it wasn’t quite the real thing. Having his brothers returned to him in mind and spirit was more than he ever could have asked for.”

“That’s really not the reason today’s such a kick in the chest for me...” Dean mumbled.

“Oh?” Castiel tilted his head. “What’s the real problem then?”

“Like you said, today is the anniversary of everyone’s miracle. They get their loved ones back, it’s a happy ending. Everyone else is happy, and all I can think about was that this was the day I lost my parents for good, y'know?"

Castiel nodded, setting the tray back on the table. "I'm sorry, Dean."

He shrugged, sipping the tea more for a distraction than for anything else. “Wasn’t like Dad was all there anymore, he was never the same after Mom. He wasn’t a terrible parent, he still raised us right, and I guess half of the time he could be counted on. There’s just some things you never get over, y’know? Even if he knew he had two kids depending on him, he couldn’t stop trying to bring her back.”

The Doll didn’t speak, letting Dean get the story out.

“When he found the formula, I thought ‘This is it. This’ll work, and we can be a family again.’ Except it didn’t work. I’m not sure what exactly happened. Dad made sure me and Sam weren’t there when he did it. By the time we made it inside, they were both gone. Dad had managed to bring her back, but it didn’t last. And he’d sacrificed himself to do it.”

“That’s horrible...” Castiel breathed. “Dean, I can’t believe you had to see that...”

“It was a lot worse for Sam,” Dean brushed it off. “He worked on the formula for weeks straight. I was so worried he was gonna turn into Dad and waste his life away on it. But he fixed the damn thing, by only bringing back the spirit and not the body, he made it work. So he brought back Mom and Dad.”

Castiel frowned, confused. “Your parents? But...”

“They came back as Dolls, like you guys,” Dean continued before Castiel could finish, “but they didn’t want to be back. They missed us, sure, but they were happy where they’d been.”

“So you sent them back?”

“Yeah. It’s why we always ask the Doll first thing, if they want to be brought back. Because it’s your choice to make, and I guess the afterlife is great for a lot of you.”

“And we all appreciate that, even though it must be hard for you to deal with the aftermath, if we refuse.”

“So, there you have it,” Dean rolled his hand in a gesture of completeness. “That’s why I felt like today was a good day to get smashed and feel sorry for myself.”

“I can understand why you’d feel resentful that everyone is celebrating a tragic day for you and your brother.”

"Still, I guess I shouldn't have yelled at you, or left you here on your own."

Castiel hummed in thought. "I suggest next time you want to get yourself intoxicated, you should bring me along. At least then, I can make sure you get home safely. And drinking is always easier with company."

Dean scoffed. "You askin' to be my drinking buddy, Cas?"

"If it helps, then yes." Castiel tipped his head.

"You can't even drink."

"It's more metaphorical."

"I'm not exactly the caring and sharing type of guy, Cas." Dean set the cup and saucer in his lap, running a hand through his short hair. "I'm more liable to just drink quietly and get over it."

Castiel shrugged. "It doesn't really matter if you share your feelings on it or not." When Dean looked up at him, slightly confused, he locked onto the other's eyes, his glow intensifying. "However, if you go off alone and leave me behind again, I'll make sure you regret doing so."

Dean swallowed thickly, nodding a few times before he realized he was doing so. The intense look the Doll pinned him with had him momentarily stunned. He might have been impressed, if his head weren't rebelling against him at the moment.

Satisfied, Castiel's eyes returned to their normal dim glow. "Good. Now finish your tea. It will help your head."

While Dean was working on the tea, Castiel got up from the sofa, turning the radio on while he went about taking the tray back to the kitchen. Dean relaxed against the cushions once more, letting his eyes slip shut. His head was starting to feel a bit better now, less stabbing pain and more a dull ache, at least. Castiel kept the radio quiet, mindful of Dean's headache.

The news played as usual. The reporter, the same one who normally covered the broadcasts and introduced herself as Atropos, was going over the festival’s events. Everything seemed to be going well. She spoke about Sam's speech earlier in the afternoon, and about how he was a fine, upstanding citizen in this town. Away from the recording equipment, in the background, children could be heard playing happily in the park.

"At least that's working out for them," Dean said quietly, with no bitterness in his voice. He was glad that people had something to celebrate, even if it was harder for him.

"Sam's a bit of a celebrity, especially on a day like today," Castiel replied, returning to his seat once the kitchen was straightened. "You would be too, if you were there with him."

Dean shrugged. "I don't need that. I much prefer doing my job without people knowing about it."

"Speaking of," the Doll leaned forward, rolling the cuff of his pants up a bit, giving his ankle joint a roll. "Your rubber covering is working wonderfully. The joint is much more at ease. I actually hit my foot against the cabinet this morning, and it just bounced right back. No harm done. I think this is a wonderful idea, Dean."

The mechanic grinned bashfully, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Yeah? You think I'm on to something? If I can get this worked out, we can have each Doll covered in this stuff, almost like a new skin. Thin enough to not be a pain to move in, but thick enough to help."

Castiel nodded. "It could change everything."

They were quiet after that, Castiel listening to the radio while Dean plotted out the next step in his work, dozing occasionally. While the couch wasn't the best place for a nap, he was comfortable and didn't feel like going to bed. Castiel didn't urge him to move either, and he wasn't really planning on sleeping long.

Some time later, he awoke to the sound of glass breaking. The noise jolted him out of sleep and he sat up quickly to see what had happened.

Castiel stood in the doorway between living room and kitchen, a towel in his hands and dinner plate shattered at his feet. His eyes glowed bright with shock, staring at the radio. Dean looked from the Doll to the radio, focusing on what had surprised Castiel so much.

The happy noises of a park festival were gone, drowned out by the angry barks of policemen. Atropos was quieter than before, reporting the scene that was unfolding in the park, as a group of rogue Dolls had shown up, starting a furious protest that had quickly gotten out of hand. Stalls set up for the festival had been smashed as the police tried to stop the Dolls, the reporter continued, and a few people had been hurt in the fray.

Dean tensed; the more he listened to it, the more he knew this wasn't going to end well for any of them. Atropos was already talking about the townspeople calling for stricter laws for Dolls after this incident, calling it the worst yet since the protests had begun. Castiel hadn't moved from the doorway, towel tightly held in his hands. Dean pushed off the sofa finally, moving to kneel beside the Doll, picking up the broken plate.

"Dean..."

"It's okay, Cas," Dean interrupted, voice as calm as he could manage. "You know those two. They make trouble and then disappear. You'll probably see them tomorrow, coming to the shop to check on you."

"Dean, this isn't good. I should go get them, make sure they're alright..."

Dean straightened up, setting the glass pieces on the counter. "Cas, you can't do that. Right now, the cops are out there guaranteed to be hassling every Doll they see. Your brothers left you here so you'd be safe, so you need to stay away from that park."

Castiel shook his head, the glow in his eyes only lighting up brighter, more determined. "Those are my brothers, the only family I have left. I can't just leave them there any more than you could leave Sam if you thought he was in trouble."

"Cas..." Dean winced, knowing the Doll was right. If Sam were the one on the run from the police, Dean would do everything in his power to protect him. However, he was the one in charge of protecting Castiel as well, and he couldn't just let the Doll wander around the chaos outside. "Okay look, you stay here, listen to the radio for more information. I'll go out and look for them."

Castiel looked like he wanted to argue, even opened his mouth to do so, but he quickly shut it, nodding. Dean would be safe to go outside. No one would bother him like they would a lone Doll wandering around, especially right after a violent protest in the park. He'd be able to help Gabriel and Balthazar a lot better than Castiel would on his own. Castiel listed off directions to their safe house, just in case they went back there. "You'll be careful, right?"

Dean gave the Doll a reassuring grin, hands settling on his shoulders. "Of course I will. I'll be fine. You just wait here, and when Sam and Jess get back, tell them I'll be right back, okay?"

Castiel nodded, the towel tight in his hands. "If you do find them, make sure to give them each a slap against the head for me."

The mechanic snickered. "You know it won't hurt them."

"It should make us both feel better, at least."

Giving his head a tilt, Dean hummed. "Fair point."

oOoOo

Dean searched the park first. He knew there was very little chance that the Dolls would be there; not even those two were that stupid. He went to see what the extent of the damage was, to try and figure out if this was the sort of thing that could be brushed away after a bit of time. While Dolls were treated as second- class citizens at times, they were rarely openly discriminated against. With the protests growing violent, Dean was worried about Atropos' warning about possible stricter laws dealing with the Dolls.

It turned out to be for nothing; the park had been cleaned up, all the damage taken care of. The booths were gone, damaged or otherwise. It looked like nothing had happened that day. And there were certainly no Dolls wandering around.

Dean wasn’t particularly sure where to look next. He realized he didn’t know very much about Castiel’s brothers, and he couldn’t figure out where the others would go. He started toward the direction of the safe house, following Cas’s directions. Considering how insistent Gabriel and Balthazar were that Castiel not be there, he hoped the other Dolls had enough sense not to stay there anyway.

Making a mental note to kick Gabriel and Balthazar for making this trouble in the first place, he soon found himself rounding the corner to the safe house. He didn’t get very far, however, before catching sight of the police officers swarming the building. Dean cursed, ducking back behind the corner, peering around to study the scene. There were a lot of officers, but no fight. They were just going through the building. Obviously there were no Dolls to be found, meaning the others had been smart enough to make themselves scarce.

The downside being that Dean had no idea where else to look. It was getting late, the sun was setting and it would be dark soon. He started back toward home. Sam and Jess would probably be back by then, and between the four of them, they could figure out what to do next.

When Dean got back to the house, Sam and Jess were there.

Castiel was not.

Dean nearly put a fist through the door frame. He most likely would have, if Jess wouldn't have finished breaking whatever fingers the wall didn't.

Sam was in the living room, nursing a warm cup of tea in both hands. He'd been in the park when the incident had happened, and had been detained by the police, filling out paperwork and statements. He looked exhausted, staring at Dean as he stormed in.

"Where's Cas?"

Sam blinked. "Castiel? He was with you, wasn't he?"

"I left him here to go look for his brothers, who apparently have just enough of a death wish to make a scene, but not get caught. He was supposed to stay here and wait for me."

Jess shook her head. "He wasn't here when we got in. The radio was on, though. He must have heard something on it about the others and left."

"Dammit!" Dean hissed, fists clenching at his side. He whirled around, making a beeline for the front door. "I'm gonna go look for him. No one else leaves, got it? If I come back and one of you two is out there, I swear..."

"Okay, we're staying put," Sam assuaged, setting his cup on the table. "Someone should stay here in case he comes back anyway."

Dean nodded. "Right, yeah, good idea Sammy. If he comes back, keep him here. Sit on him if you have to."

Before either of them could respond, Dean yanked the door open.

And ran straight into Gabriel.

He lost his balance at the collision, falling into the Doll, who, in turn, fell back into Balthazar with the combined weight. All of them sprawled on the front porch, too shocked to speak for a moment.

Sam was off the couch the instant he heard the commotion. Jess joined him quickly in the doorway, trying to make sense of the pile of limbs and bodies on the steps. Sam reached out, grabbing Dean by the shoulder and pulling him up. Dean fell back against his brother, trying to get his balance back, glaring at the two.

"What the hell?! Get in here!" the mechanic hissed, shrugging Sam's hand off his shoulder. He looked around quickly, making sure the sidewalk was clear.

"Dean!" Sam moved, blocking the doorway from the two Dolls. "Those two were the ones that were in charge of the riot today!"

"And you were the moose on stage. Your point?" Gabriel ducked under his outstretched arm, his smaller frame letting him slip by.

Dean sighed, rubbing his temple. "Let them in, before someone sees, Sam. These two troublemakers are Cas's brothers."

Sam's eyes widened, confused, but he stepped back to let Balthazar inside as well. Jess shut the door quietly behind them.

"Has he made it back yet?" Balthazar asked, looking around the foyer.

"Who?" Dean frowned, turning to look at the Doll while simultaneously trying to keep Gabriel from touching everything in sight.

Balthazar scowled right back, narrowed eyes dimming the glow. "Castiel, you idiot, who else would I mean?"

The mechanic stopped, dropping Gabriel's hand to fully face the other Doll. "Cas was with you? Where'd he go?"

"He was supposed to be with you!" Gabriel snapped, rounding on him.

Balthazar beat him to it, however, grabbing Dean by the collar of his shirt. "We left him with you so he'd be safe! If we wanted him out wandering the streets after this, we'd have left him to his own devices!"

"Maybe if you're worried about your brother's safety, you shouldn't go around starting riots in the park!" Sam snapped back, hand closing over Balthazar's wrist joint. "Let go of my brother."

"Can we all just calm down?!" Jess huffed, drawing the attention of all four of them. "It doesn't matter who did what. The very real problem is that Castiel is out there, and we need to find him."

Balthazar dropped his grip on Dean's shirt. "She's right. Poor Cassy's out there, and there's a good chance he's in trouble."

"How'd you guys get separated?" Dean asked. "Where were you? If I have a general area to start, I can probably go out and find him."

"I dunno about that," Gabriel's fingers twisted at the hem of his vest. "We were heading back to the safe house, after the whole thing. We were gonna hide out until everything had kinda blown over, since the whole thing didn't exactly go according to plan."

"When we got there, the cops had raided the place already," Balthazar took over. "Kali stalled them, but not for long enough. They caught sight of us and gave chase."

"And we almost made it, but they had some guys waiting in the alley, so we were trapped."

"That reporter was with them, Atropos, and she was sticking her nose in the middle of it, trying to get us to talk about it."

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Castiel has this obsession with the radio, so I'm sure he heard us on some broadcast and came out to try and help."

"He was at the station when they brought us back, and got them with a surprise attack."

"It was pretty badass, I'll give the little guy credit for that..."

"Yes, it was rather impressive, I'm proud of him." Balthazar’s voice was fond.

"Okay!" Dean interrupted. "The point, please? We're kinda in a hurry here."

Gabriel picked the story back up. "Right! So Castiel distracts the cops for us, and tells us he'll meet up with us at his hideout."

"Which was here, of course." Balthazar looked around. "So if he's not here, then obviously something's happened, and we need to go find him."

"I was on my way to do that, actually," Dean pushed past the two of them. "Before I tripped over the two lost puppies on my porch. You two stay here, before you get in even more trouble. I'll be back when I get Cas."

Balthazar grabbed Dean by the sleeve, halting his progress. "He's our brother, and our responsibility."

"Yeah, well if you were being responsible, he wouldn't have gotten into this trying to save you. And he wanted you out of trouble, or he wouldn't have helped. Are you gonna just let what he did be for nothing?"

The Doll frowned, eyes flashing. "If he's hurt, I'm holding you personally responsible, Winchester. You’d better get him back."

“Dean!” Gabriel slipped back in front of the door, blocking his exit.

“Jesus, what?! I’m trying to go save your brother here!”

Gabriel frowned, conflicted. He took a breath. “You gotta know, before you go. I dunno if Cas would want you to know right now, but it’s kinda important in the grand scheme of things. The reason Castiel is a Doll, the way he died... He saved you and Sam from that fire.”

Dean’s stomach dropped. “W-What?”

“We lived next to you guys. When the fire started, Castiel went in to help. He got you two out, then went back in to try and get Mary. When he didn’t make it back, we went after him. It didn’t really work out for any of us.” Gabriel winced, fists clenching at his sides. “You needed to know, I think. So you can save him. He saved you, now you go return the favor. And don’t you die either!”

Dean didn’t know what to say. It was a lot to take in. He ran a hand through his hair in a nervous fidget, turning to Sam and Jess. His brother looked just as floored with the news as he’d been. Sam took it a step further, eyes watering like a giant puppy. Dean bit his lip. "Keep them here and don't let them break anything."

Sam tipped his head in agreement. Dean slid out of the house, letting the door slam behind him.

Outside, the sky was dark, the normal twilight overcast and gloomy, as if the weather was reflective of the city's mood. The streets were empty, more deserted than usual in the early evening, which worried him slightly. He took off in a run towards the main part of town.

It got brighter as he ran, the town center defying the darkness somehow. When he got closer, he realized the reason for this was the giant fire roaring in the center square, the fountain emptied of its usual water and replaced by wood and flame. For a moment he panicked, considered going for the fire department. It would do no good, as a second later he found them standing by, watching the blaze, along with the rest of the town.

Confused, and still worried about Castiel, he grabbed the nearest bystander by the sleeve, yanking him closer.

“What the hell’s going on?” he growled, eyes darting from the boy to the blaze.

The boy only grinned, a manic, nasty sort of smile. “We’re showing those damn Dolls their place.”

Dean’s heart dropped to his stomach instantly. “What are you doing?”

“As if you really need to ask? They’ve gone too far this time. We’re getting rid of them like we should have years ago!”

Dean shook his head, all but shoving the other away. He whipped around, staring at the fire in horror, eyes wide as someone shoved a bundle of broken wood limbs into the flames. He couldn’t look away, and with every moment he watched, more townspeople tossed bits of splintered wood into the fire, an arm, a leg, even a head or two.

He tore his eyes away, hearing a scream over the angry voices of the townspeople. A group of policemen had two women cornered, real people who stood in front of a group of Dolls. He recognized the women. Kali from his workshop, who’d brought Gabriel in, and the reporter, Atropos, a small blond woman who glared at the authorities behind the frames of her glasses.

Dean leapt into action, grabbing the nearest thing he could find, a discarded, burnt- out trash can, and made a rush toward the police. He took down as many as he could, dominoing the majority of them. He got to his feet quickly, only to be confronted by Atropos and what might have been part of an iron fence at one point. He managed a yelp, backing up. Kali stopped her before Dean wound up with a pole- sized concussion. Dean breathed a quick sigh of relief, before going back into fight mode.

“You gotta get them out of here,” he snapped, eyes darting to the Dolls the pair were protecting. Castiel wasn’t one of them. He turned to Kali. “Have you seen Cas?”

“Gabriel’s brother? No, I thought he was with you!”

“He was! Gabe and Balthazar are okay, but I gotta find Cas.” He gave her a shove. “Get them out of here, hide them in the workshop ‘til this calms down!”

Kali nodded, moving Atropos to herd the Dolls away. He spared a glance at them to make sure nothing came at them immediately, before plunging through the angry crowd once more.

He pushed through the people, taking his fair share of elbows and punches. The crowd was getting thicker, angrier, louder, and Dean was caught in it. He had to find Castiel before something happened to him. If the cops had him, this would’ve been where they’d brought him.

If he hadn’t been one of the first ones thrown into the fire.

Dean squeezed his eyes shut, refusing to think that Cas might be gone already. He shoved a few people out of the way, yelling out the Doll’s name frantically. He had to be here, had to be intact. Dean had to find him and keep him safe.

He kept calling out, hoping somehow Castiel could hear him and answer back. He elbowed his way toward the bonfire, eyes searching the crowd frantically for any sign of the other. There were too many people, too much noise, and everyone pushing and shoving and yelling in the small town square.

Someone shoved him, hard, and he fell to the ground, rolling away from the crowd before he was stepped on. He managed with only a few kicks, before getting to his feet. Between the closeness of the fire and the heat of the angry mob, he was burning up, sweat sliding down his forehead and making his clothes stick. He ignored it, darting around the fire. They were only tossing pieces into the blaze, not working bodies, so they had to be taking the Dolls apart somewhere nearby.

He stamped down the rise of fear in his gut that they’d already dismantled Cas.

Dean called out Castiel’s name once again, yelling in desperation as his eyes darted around the chaos, trying to find his Doll among the angry townspeople and swinging weapons, cutting wooden frames into burnable pieces. There weren’t many full Dolls at this point, either gone too far to be saved, or taken by Kali and Atropos to hide. Dean was torn, worried about the other innocent Dolls caught up in this riot, and finding Castiel before something happened to him. There wasn’t much he could do for most of the others, short of gathering all the pieces and putting them back together in the workshop, so he resigned himself to searching for the one Doll he needed to save.

He yelled for the other again, and this time he heard a call in return. Almost lost among the noise of the crowd, but just loud and hoarse enough for Dean to pick up on. He ran in the direction of it, past the main bonfire, where there were smaller fires going, lit in barrels from the bigger flame in the fountain. There were more Dolls being thrown into the metal bins, fire licking up their wooden bodies quickly. Dean lurched out, shoving as many of the small barrels over as he could manage. There were far too many, and Dean could hear Castiel’s voice, getting louder as he separated from the mass of people by the fountain.

Finally, he caught sight of the Doll, held tight by both arms by two uniformed officers. Castiel had hung limp in their grasp, until he met eyes with Dean. Only then did he start to struggle against the officers’ hold, fighting back as they dragged him toward one of the remaining fires. He dug in his heels, but it was of little use, the two of them overpowered him, even with his inhuman body.

Dean kicked at a barrel, sending it rolling into a group of people. The Dolls they held squirmed free, making their escape. The mechanic dodged a man running at him, keeping his eyes on Castiel, yelling for him.

The officers reached the fire, lifting Castiel up on either side, hauling him up to the fire. He kicked, lashing out as much as he could. Dean leapt forward, slamming himself bodily into the Doll, tackling him out of the others’ grip and onto the ground. It hurt like a bitch, his muscles protesting their collision with Cas’s hard wooden frame, but he ignored it with a grimace, curling into a protective crouch around the Doll. Arms circled Castiel’s shoulders, scooping him up and rolling out of the way, just in time for the guards to reach for them. It gave Dean the moment he needed to get up, pulling Castiel with him to his feet and shoving the Doll behind him.

The officers advanced, sneering at the pair of them. Dean brought an arm out, keeping Castiel behind him, but the Doll was having none of it, darting past Dean and slamming shoulder- first into one of the men. After a moment of shock, the mechanic followed after, ramming his elbow into the other’s gut. It wasn’t quite enough to bring the other down, however, and the guard returned with a solid punch. Dean ducked, but wasn’t quick enough, catching the blow against his forehead, reeling back with a hiss. Before he could do anything but blink a few times, Castiel was there, with what Dean swore to be a perfect roundhouse kick to the officer’s back, taking him down swiftly. When the kick connected, there was a crack of splintered wood, and Dean looked at Castiel in alarm. The Doll only glared at the two fallen men, eyes glowing a darker blue than he’d ever seen them.

“Cas?” Dean ventured, taking a step closer.

Castiel blinked a few times, his weight shifting to one leg. Dolls didn’t feel pain, luckily, but Dean could tell upon looking at it that Cas wasn’t going anywhere on that leg. His pants were shredded and burnt at the bottom, most of it gone. The leg itself was black with char, burned from the knee down. The ankle joint, the source of the noise, had all but popped out completely, hanging limply as the Doll lifted the leg off the ground.

Dean wasted no more time, grabbing Castiel by the arm and yanking him close, slotting an arm under the Doll’s legs and lifting him up. Cas let out a small surprised noise, arms immediately wrapping around Dean’s shoulders.

“Okay, we’re getting out of here,” Dean looked around, trying to find a place to sneak out from the crowds.

“You can duck in through the gardens,” Castiel moved one arm from his grip on Dean to point at the small path that led to the back of the city hall building. “That’s where they brought us all in from, they’re expecting it to be empty now.”

Dean nodded, tightening his grip on the Doll before breaking into a jog. Sure enough, the gardens were empty, and looked almost peaceful in comparison to the scene they’d just left. They didn’t have time to stop and enjoy the relief, however, hurrying through the small garden walkways until they reached the main streets.

oOoOo

Sam and Jess had done a good job of keeping Balthazar and Gabriel inside, no small feat when their baby brother was in danger. However, there was no amount of threatening a petite blond Doll and her human boyfriend could do when the pair saw Dean and Castiel step up onto the porch. And Sam is quick to join them once he saw Dean dragging the Doll up the steps, panting for breath and looking fresh out of a fight with a trail of blood dripping down his face..

Between the three of them, clamoring to know if they’re alright, what happened, what’s going on, Jess managed to be the voice of reason, all but shoving the group inside the house. Once the door was closed behind her, she let the siblings surround Dean and Castiel.

Dean pushed past them all, leaving the entryway towards the living room. Sam stood at the doorway, knowing by now it wasn’t a good idea to crowd his brother. Gabriel and Balthazar had no such qualms, hovering on either side of the mechanic as he set Castiel on the sofa. The Doll stared at him, mouth open to speak, but his brothers took over before he could voice anything. Balthazar had his arms wrapped around Castiel’s shoulders in no time, hugging him close, while Gabriel was inspecting his younger brother’s burnt leg.

Dean decided to give them some time, backing up and moving past Sam, up the stairs.

“Dean?” Sam studied his brother, face a picture of concern.

He offered a small smile, tired and humorless. “I’m pretty sure we’re gonna have to move after this. I’m gonna go clean up.”

Sam nodded, watching as Dean took the stairs slowly.

Dean spent a few minutes looking in the mirror, inspecting the damage, before there was a knock at the door. He huffed out a breath, leaning against the basin of the sink.

“Sammy, I told you, I’m fine.”

The door opened, revealing not Sam, but Castiel. “I told your brother that getting you something to eat might be a good idea.”

Dean chuckled a bit. “I could definitely eat. Thanks, Cas.”

The Doll slid into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him quietly. He stepped forward, and Dean noticed the slight limp, the ankle joint wobbling dangerously with every movement.

“You’re gonna have to let me fix that up for you later,” Dean nodded in the direction of the other’s leg.

Castiel blinked, tilting his head in thought. “Perhaps. I think it would be better to tend to you first. Humans feel pain, and the blood can’t be helping matters.”

Dean nodded, reaching for a washcloth. Castiel’s hand closed over his wrist, stopping him. Turning to look at the Doll, Dean watched as Castiel took the cloth from him. He nodded for the mechanic to sit on the edge of the bathtub. Normally Dean would have put up some token protest, but to be honest, he was tired and it’d been one hell of a night already, so if Castiel wanted to do something to help, Dean wasn’t going to refuse.

Dean perched on the lip of the tub as Castiel filled the basin with water, soaking the rag in it. He then sat across from the mechanic, one hand on his chin, tilting his head up while the other dabbed at the wound. Dean didn’t really know what to say, so he let the Doll work in silence, staring down at the ceramic of the tub between them.

After a few moments like that, Castiel spoke, leaning over to rinse the washcloth. “Thank you, for coming to get me.”

Dean shrugged. “I wasn’t just gonna let you get tossed in the fire, Cas.”

“I was worried that Gabriel and Balthazar would come looking for me, and get caught as well.”

“Trust me, between my moose of a brother and the sheer force of Jess’s stubbornness, there was no way they were getting out that door.” Dean grinned.

Castiel smiled, small and appreciative. He returned to gently wiping at the cut on Dean’s head.

Dean cleared his throat. “So uh... before I left, Gabe kind of let me in on a bit of a secret.”

The Doll’s fingers tightened on the cloth. “Dean...”

Tipping his head away from the cloth, Dean looked up, meeting Castiel’s eyes. “Why didn’t you say something?”

Castiel drew back, the cloth resting in his lap, fingers twisting it in an oddly human gesture. “I... intended to... It’s not exactly something that comes up easily in conversation. There’s hardly a right time for ‘Oh, by the way, I might have had something to do with saving you and your brother from the fire, and I might have died trying to go back in for your mother’.”

Dean supposed he had a fair point. “Did you know the whole time?”

He shook his head, before making a face. “Well... I mean, it’s hard to forget the circumstances of one’s death. Although I didn’t realize you were that same person until you told me the story. You looked so much like that boy while telling it, and I recalled it so vividly, I was... shocked by it all clicking at once.”

Arching a brow, Dean thought back to that night. “So you kissed me?”

Castiel nodded. “I suppose I was feeling a lot of things, all at once. Elation, relief, awe...” The Doll looked up, meeting Dean’s eyes with his own bright glow. “You cause me to feel very many things, Dean. That in itself is impressive.”

Dean gave an awkward chuckle, looking down as he felt Castiel’s hand slide over his own, the washcloth draped over the edge of the bathtub. He didn’t try to dislodge it, just letting the Doll’s hand cover his. “I dunno whether that’s a good thing or not.”

Curling his hand around Dean’s, Castiel leaned a bit closer. He continued to stare into Dean’s eyes, a small wry smile curling at the corner of his mouth. “I’ll save you the trouble of guessing and say that it’s a very good thing.”

“Oh,” Dean cleared his throat, returning the smile. “That’s... good then.” He broke the stare, looking down again. Now it was his turn to fidget, fingers of his free hand curling around the edge of his shirt. “So, have you thought about what you’re doing after this all blows over? Got any plans, a place to stay?”

Castiel paused, amusement fading from his expression. “Plans?”

The mechanic shrugged, nonchalantly. “Yeah, I mean... your brothers kinda messed up your whole safehouse gig, you’re gonna need somewhere else to stay. That probably means a job. And I dunno how many people here will be too keen on hiring Dolls after what happened.”

“No, I suppose not...” Cas deflated, shoulders slumping.

“So I was thinking, with this rubber coating thing moving on to the next stage of development, I’m gonna need some help around the workshop, y’know? Someone to do some of the routine stuff while I work on getting that up and running. I can’t really pay much, since I don’t charge mostly, but I’m sure I can make it worth someone’s while with a free room to stay in...” Dean glanced at Castiel, grin curling back on his lips. “You know anyone that might be up for it?”

The Doll stared at him, blinking a few times in confusion. “Well... perhaps... I mean, if you were willing to hire a Doll, especially one with a burnt leg, who happened to have two very troublesome and nosy older brothers...”

“I pretty much insist on it.”

Castiel squeezed Dean’s hand briefly. “Are you certain? I’ll try to make them behave. And we don’t eat, so I won’t be a burden on finances. And I can cook, or at least, I could before, and I think that’s something you don’t really forget, even if you haven’t cooked for someone with taste buds in--”

Dean leaned forward, closing the space between them, and pressed his lips to Castiel’s. It was calmer, and less violent than their first kiss, but it surprised Cas enough anyway. His words died out in a small, strangled noise, eyes wide. Dean broke it off a moment later, smiling back at him. Kissing a Doll wasn’t so bad, when there weren’t busted lips involved. He was sure the rubber skin would help with that as well.

“So, is that a yes?” the mechanic asked with a smirk.

Castiel laughed. “I believe it is.”

It was Cas that leaned in this time, resuming the kiss with all of the feeling of the first, but all of the caution of the second. Dean slid a hand up Castiel’s neck, cradling the back of his head to keep him close. Castiel smiled into the kiss, his fingers moving to entwine with Dean’s own on the mechanic’s leg.

“One more little detail,” Dean said, once they’d parted for air, at least in Dean’s case. When Castiel stared at him with a confused look, he continued. “I hope you and your brothers are good at moving. Cuz I’m pretty sure we’re gonna get kicked out of town after all this.”

Castiel snorted, dropping his forehead on Dean’s shoulder. “That’s probably for the best.”

oOoOo

Epilogue

In the end, they got kicked out of town. And even if they hadn’t been formally asked to leave by the mayor himself, the brothers would have left on their own. Sam would make no more Dolls there, they couldn’t be trusted anymore. Atropos and Kali had helped get the remaining Dolls out of the city, along with the townspeople who cared about keeping them safe. The only people left in that town were the bastards who had done the rioting. Good riddance, Dean thought. They couldn’t have left soon enough.

They found a new place to set up in. A smaller town, far more welcoming than their hometown had been. The people there respected their Dolls; the few they had, anyway. Since they had to travel so far to reach Sam in order to get their loved ones revived, it hadn’t been taken advantage of the way it had in their old town.

They got a nice place at the edge of town, big enough for them all. The brothers had a bit of money saved up, mostly from donations and payments from their work with the Dolls. Still, it took some work to get everything in order, but with four of them not needing sleep, it didn’t take as long it could have.

Sam was far stricter with whom he helped, both himself and Jess doing all kinds of background checks and interviews with everyone who wanted his services. Balthazar was a surprising amount of help with this, although Sam worried about whether or not some of his methods were legal.

Dean set up a new workshop as well, fixing Dolls like he did before. The first thing he did was offer to fix Castiel’s leg, but the other refused, insisting that he wanted to keep the wood burned as it was, as a sort of reminder. His experiments with the Doll frame coverings were a success with Castiel. Dean was quick to make enough to cover the Doll’s entire body, burnt leg included, and then Gabriel shortly after, when Gabriel complained about favoritism. After that, Dean was busy making the rubbery plastic for all the town’s Dolls, and quite a few who travelled to see him.

Castiel helped around the workshop, becoming as good at fixing Doll joints and tears in plastic coating as Dean was. He liked to keep busy, and stay close to Dean. Dean couldn’t complain, since he got to have Castiel near him most of the day, and he got a great assistant out of it. With Castiel taking care of a lot of the busy work, he had time to work on new innovations for Dolls. And he always had a few willing test subjects.

So in the end, things worked out fairly decently. Dean hadn’t thought anything of the random Doll that he’d found sprawled against his workshop one night. And Castiel hadn’t considered that he’d have some connection to the mechanic he asked help from. Both were glad for it, though, even if it took a riot and a few bonfires to get them to where they were.

Dean hadn’t wanted a Doll. He got Castiel anyway, and he couldn’t have been happier.


End file.
